Ice tray



Nov. 13, 1951 F. w. SAMPSON ICE TRAY Filed Aug. 21, 1948 a, A/Wz-L AITOBNIYJ Nov. 13, l 95l F". w. SAMPSON 63 ICE TRAY Fil ed Aug. 21, 1948 v I 2 SHEET$-SHEET 2 I N VENT mzomlcn. y. ammo/v HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 13, 1951 Frederick W. Sampson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware I Application August 21, 1948 Serial No. 45,536

1 Claim. (01. 62-1085) This invention relates to mechanically operated freezing trays, especially to the portable type adapted for use in household refrigerators.

An object of this invention is to provide an important and efficient improvement in mechanical .ice trays from which one or two or any desired blocks without so disturbing or disarranging the position of the unremoved ice blocks as to interfere with the easy restoring of the grid and the unremoved ice blocks to substantially normal freezing position in the pan.

This invention is not limited to but is particularly applicable to mechanical ice trays having grids wherein a hand lever is actuated to tilt or otherwise move a series of grid cross partition walls relativeto a longitudinal partition wall to loosen the ice -blocks from their frozen bond to the grid. Examples of such mechanical grids are issued June 9, 1942; No. 2,305,687, Geyer et. al'., disclosed in Patents No. 2,285,712, Geyer et al., issued December '22, 1942 'No. 2,293,362, Sampson et al., issued August 18, 1942; and No. 2,337,451 Chilton, issued December 21, 1943, all owned by the assignee of this present application. In none of the devices of said prior patents can the entire grid and ice contents be laterally rocked to permit lateral removal from the grid of some of the loosened ice blocks without liftin the grid and ice contents such a distance from the pan bottom as to dislocate the remaining ice blocks and so prevent the return of the grid and said remaining ice blocks to substantially original freezing position. That is to say, innone of these patented devices can a few ice blocks be removed Without so disturbing the remaining ice blocks as to prevent the grid together with the unremoved ice blocks from being simply returned again to substantially their original freezing position.

The teachings of this invention overcome this problem and provide certain important advantages.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accom- In the drawings; Fig. 1 isajplan view of an ice tray made according to this invention, the grid being shown inserted in the pan in freezing position. 7

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line'22 of Fig. l, but shows the first three cross walls having been tilted forward slightly by the upward swinging of the hand lever to loosen the first three pairs of ice blocks from both the grid and the pan. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a section similar to Fig. 3, but illustrates the entire grid together with the ice contents rocked laterally while being guided by the pan surfaces :to permit ready removal of the loosened ice blocks on the high side.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the hand lever.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lever.

Fig. -7 is a detail view of the drag link connected to the hand lever.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 and shows how the hand lever is mounted upon its connected parts.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The drawings illustrate a specific example of a mechanical grid suitable for use in the combination of grid and pan embodying this invention. In the drawings, the removable grid 20 comprises a main longitudinal partitioning wall 2| and a series of spaced cross walls 22 loosely mounted thereupon so that each cross wall '22 is capableof an individual tilting movement relative to main wall 2|. Each cross wall 22 has a central slot extending down from its upper edge to loosely receive the continuous portions of main wall 21 and to also receive the actuating drag links 40 hereinafter described. Main wall 2 has a series of open notches 23 extending upwardly thru its bottom edge thru which the continuous portions of cross walls 22 extend. All cross walls 22 are shown in their rearwardly inclined freezing position inFig. 1, and Fig. 2 shows the first three cross walls tilted for-ward slightly by operation of the hand lever 50, The shape of notches '23 is such as to permit all but the rear-most cross wall to swing forward to a position slightly past the vertical by pivoting at or closely adjacent their lower edges. The shape of the rearmost notch 23' requiresrearmost cross wall 22 to pivot panying drawings wherein one embodiment of ld-hinge pin 5| which extends thru hole 52 in said the present invention is clearly shown.

lever. Lever has a slot '53 therein-which snugly "same.

wall.

receives the upwardly projecting portion on main wall 2| to which said lever is pivoted. Lever 50 also has two opposed laterally projecting integral journal pins 6|] which serve as crank pins for actuating the crank link 62 shown in detail in Fig. 7. Crank link 62 is a sheet metal stamping and has two opposed prongs 63 having aligned holes 64 therein which receive the aligned journals 60 on lever 50. The rear end of crank link 62 has two aligned notches 65 which loosely engage the first cross wall 22 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and so serve to swing said first cross wall either forwardly or rearwardly by the longitudinal swinging of hand lever 50.

All the remaining cross walls 22 are interconnected with said first cross Wall by a series of overlapping lost motion drag links 40 each of which serves to pull and swing its cross wall forward only after the next preceding cross wall has been swung forward sufficiently to loosen the pair of ice blocks immediately in front of Each drag link 40 has two opposed notches 4| at each end thereof, which notches loosely engage its two cross walls 22 with sufficient looseness to provide the desired lost motion between the initial swinging movement of any one cross wall and its next succeeding cross The central slot in each cross wall 22 is made suificiently wide at its upper portion 30 (see Figs. 3 and 4) to permit the proper assembling of the drag links 40 upon the cross walls 22. This may be done simply by turning each drag link 40 partially edgewise with its notches 4| registering with its two cross walls and then passing it down between the opposed laterally projecting lugs 3| on said cross walls to its final horizontal position shown in Fig. 3.

The entire grid may be assembled as follows. Cross walls 22 are first slid upwardly into their notches 23 and 23 so that the wide slot portion 30 in each cross wall lies above the top edge of main wall 2|. Then starting at the rear end of the grid opposite the lever end, the drag links 40 are successively inserted in the central openings 30 by turning them partially edgewise and passing them down between the two opposed projections 3| on each cross wall to the horizontal position, as described above. Crank link 62 is similarly connected to the first cross wall (at the lever end of the grid). Lever 50 is assembled to main wall 2| by loosely inserting pivot pin Thereafter the two prongs 63 of crank link 62 may be sprung apart sufficiently to permit the two journal pins 60 to enter the holes 64 in said prongs and thereupon spring back to final position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thereupon all the separate parts of the grid will be retained in properly assembled relationship.

pulled forward in a similar manner each to loosen the pair of ice blocks immediately in front of same. The rearmost cross wall pivots about a horizontal axis extending thru the point 24 due to the shape of its notch 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This causes the bottom portion of said rearmost cross wall to swing backwardly and so force the last pair of ice blocks rearwardly to positively loosen them from main wall 2 i.

The structure and operation of the grid as above described is very useful to harvest dry ice blocks from any ordinary container pan such as a slightly flexible metal pan stamped from sheet aluminum. This present invention however teaches the use of such a mechanical grid with a specially shaped pan I0 and a novel method of To loosen the ice blocks from the grid when 22 is slightly flexed to peel it from its ice bond i and then tilted forward by the pull of crank link 62 to loosen the first pair of ice blocks from both the grid and the pan and to cam them upwardly on the inclined end wall l2.

After said first cross wall tilts forward suificiently to take up the lost motion permitted by the forward slot 4| in the first drag link 40, said first link 40 will be pulled forward by the-first cross wall and thereby similarly loosen the second pair of ice blocks from both the grid and pan. All

the remaining cross walls 22 are successively operation of this combination of grid and pan. This novel combination is particularly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

its frozen contents upon the ice-loosening operation of only several of the movable cross walls of a mechanical grid such as described above. Pan I0 preferably has a wide flat bottom I adapted to rest upon a substantially flat refrigerated surface during freezing, whereby to obtain the maximum practical contact area of heat conduction from the pan to said refrigerated surface. At least one end wall |2 of the pan should be inclined at a substantial angle, such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, in order that the initial pair of ice blocks to be loosened by the tilting of the first cross wall may readily cam upwardly thereupon. But preferably both end walls l2 are inclined at the same angle so that the two ends of the pan are symmetrical and no care will need be exercised in matching the correct end of the grid with the correct end of the pan.

The most important feature of the pan however is the shape of its side walls I3 which permits the entire grid and ice contents, after being loosened from the pan, to be rocked laterally toward either side by sliding same against the bottom and side walls of the pan with a guided rocking action. This guided rocking action can be done simply by swinging lever 50 laterally with one hand without applying any lifting force to said lever to overcome the weight of the grid and ice contents. At the very start of this rocking movement the axis of rotation of the grid and ice contents passes thru a point A (see Fig. 3) which lies at the junction of the top surface of the ice with one side wall I3. All points on that surface of the ice cake originally contacting the opposite side wall l3 (at the left of Fig. 3) at first begins to swing upwardly alongside said opposite side wall henc it is necessary that the distance R in Fig. 3 betweenpoint A and point B (the lowest point on the cylindrical surface of said opposite side wall l3) shall not decrease as we go up said opposite side wall. Due to unavoidable small bumps or other inaccuracies in the exact form of the pan side walls after a period of use, it is important that said distance R should increase slightly as we go up said opposite side wall l3. In other words, when the ice cake is being rocked about an axis thru point A a slight clearance should be available between said opposite side wall I3 and the corresponding ice surface. Such a slight clearance may be readily obtained bylocatingthe center of curvature of the cylindrical portion of said opposite side wall l3 get-apes above the level of pointer and inwardly toward the center line of the pan from point A. The center' of curvature maybe locatedd'irectly above point A (as "at point- D 3) and provide some clearance between said opposite side wall and the rocking ice cake. This clearance may be increased by locating said center at point C which is both above the level of po'int A and inwardly toward the center lineof the pan 1 Assuming that the pan shown-in Fig; 3 is about four inches wide, the center of curvature of; the cylindrical portion of the left sidewall i3 is shown as located at point C about onequarter inch abovethej-ice surface and about one inch toward the left of point A. This will pro-,

vide a suitably small clearance between the cylindrical left sidewall I3 and the ice cake while being initially rocked' about an axis through point A. This specific location'of the'center C for each curved side wall i3 is" given as an example which provides a' suitable clearance between the ice and pan to avoid interference-between the two and at the sametime provides cylindrical side wall surfaceswhich serve'to guide the rocking action when hand lever- 59 is moved laterally with one hand toward either side. Both sides of the pan should be symmetrically shaped 'to giv the same sort of guided rocking action in either direction. l

In operation, the grid is set loosely in pan 'I 0, the pan is filled with water preferably to about one-fourth inch from the-topedgesofside walls 13, and the tray assembly inserted in afreezing compartment; To harvestdry ice blocks after the ice is hard frozen, the tray is preferably'set upon a table or other supportand hand lever 50 swung vertically-upward to tilt the cross walls 22 forward in succession-starting at the lever end of the grid, as described hereinabove. After lever 50 has been swung'vertic'ally far enough to loosen the first several pairs of ice blocks (usually three pairs) from both grid and pan, the pan It becomes loosened also from the remaining ice blocks which are still firmly bonded to the grid. This is due to the forces exerted against the pan by 4 the tilting ice blocks which slightly flex saidpan 40 and cause it to peel and loosen from the'entire pan contentsb'e'fore "the last several pairs of ice blocks are loosened from the grid. The grid together with ice blocks still. firmly bonded thereto as a rigid'mass is'hereintermed the ice cake.

Now as soon as pan II] is loose from both the fully loosened ice blocks and the remaining ice cake, hand lever 50 may be simply moved laterally with one hand to rock the entire grid laterally. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, during such rocking motion the fully loosened blocks I0 together with the grid and ice cake initially swing about axis A as a center, which swinging tends to move the lower right corner portion 80 of the ice cake upwardly out of contact with the pan bottom and to move the opposite side of the ice cake out of contact with its side wall I3. However as soon as clearance permits the ice cake ceases to pivot about axis A and further rocking occurs first by the right Side of the ice cake and shortly thereafter the upper projecting corners 8! of the cross walls sliding downwardly along the right curved side wall I3, while said lower corner portion 80 slides to the left along the pan bottom and the left side of the ice cake slides upwardly along the left curved side wall I3, with a suitably small clearance. This provides a well guided rocking motion of the ice cake and grid against the pan surfaces when hand lever 50 is simply swung laterally with one hand. The contour of the cross section of the pan together with the height and contour of the upper projecting-corner portions 8| of the cross walls determine the angular movement of the grid during such rocking. These contours are so designed in relation to on another as'to provide sufficient clearance between the rocking ice cake and the pan to give easy rocking,-but preferably not so much clearance as will permit sloppy lateral play and prevent the desired guided action. With a given pan contour, predetermined by other considerations, the upper corner portions SI of the cross Walls can be readily laid out with such height and contour as will give the desired small clearances between the rocking unit and the adjacent pan surfaces.

The fully loosened ice blocks 1!) on the high side of the laterally tilted grid will be projected laterally against the side wall I3 and be slid upwardly along same by the rocking movement of main wall 2i until finally they are projected above "the upper lip of side wa1ll3. From this position only one or any desired number of the loose ice blocks Ill may be readily slipped laterally from the grid'by the fingers or ice tongs without lifting the grid from its guided position in contact with the pan bottom ll. Fig. 4 shows the position of the fully loosened blocks I6 after the entire grid has been tilted to a somewhat greater angle than is necessary for such lateral removal of the blocks. Thereafter the entire grid and all unremoved ice blocks may be simply rocked back to level position in the'pan, during 'icecan be conveniently returned to its freezing compartment for'future use.

During the above described restoring movement of the grid to level position, if an unremoved loose-ice block in the position shown at "1-H in Fig. 4 should contact the lip of side wall I3 at point Y at an angle so nearly horizontal as to hang there when center wall 2| is rocked back toward vertical position then-the ice block may-be upended, that is, turned thru degrees with its inner vertical surface H finall resting upon pan bottom II. In order to prevent such unending, the lower outer corners of the ice blocks are molded in rounded off shape as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the loose ice blocks 10 will not hang upon the lips of side walls l3 but will readily slide back by gravity to substantially normal position during the restoring movement. A correct rounded shape of the lower outer corners of the ice blocks is important and is obtained by providing a corresponding correct curvature to the bottom portions (below point B) of side walls I3 where they join the flat pan bottom II. This correct curvature for any given width and height of pan should be determined by an actual layout of the rocked grid and pan similar to Fig. 4. As an example, it is clear from viewing Fig. 4 that the loose ice block ID will not hang on the lip of side wall [3 when main wall 2| is rocked back toward vertical position, this because of the steepness of tangent X which is tangent to the surface of the ice block at point Y where it contacts the lip of side wall [3. The path of incipient downward sliding of the ice block upon the :metal lip is along tangent X, and the resisting frictional force between ice and metal lip must 'not be so large as to prevent sliding by gravity of the ice block on said lip at any contact point Y when main wall 2| swings toward vertical position.

Of course the grid may be similarly rocked in either direction to permit the lateral removal of not more than half the entire number of ice blocks from the grid, which of course very definitely reduces the amount of shatter ice in the pan compared to the amount of shatter ice which would normally be caused by the loosening of all the ice blocks from the grid. Of course the smaller the amount of shatter ice the less interference it can have with the above described restoring movement of the grid. Preferably all the ice-contacting surfaces of both the grid and pan are provided with a strongly adhering water repellant coating, such as are now well known, to thereby facilitate the loosening of the bonded ice from both the grid and pan and to materially reduce the amount of shatter ice caused by the loosening of the ice from the grid.

If so desired hand lever 50 may be swung vertically far enough to loosen all the ice blocks from the grid before the grid is rocked laterally as above described to permit the lateral removal of from one to all of the ice blocks without lifting the grid out of contact with the pan bottom, and thereafter the grid may be simply rocked back to its normal flat position in the pan.

Various types of mechanical grids having a had lever for loosening the ice blocks therefrom can be similarly adapted for use in the combination of this invention, it being necessary only that the loosened ice blocks in an outside row of the grid can be slipped laterally from the grid after the grid has been rocked in the pan to such position as to permit such lateral removal. For further examples, the grids shown in prior Patents Nos. 2,285,712, 2,293,362, 2,305,- 687 and 2,337,451 mentioned hereinabove, can be similarly adapted by suitably revising the 8 cross-sectional shape of the container pan and the contour shape of the cross walls to permit a guided lateral rocking of the grid and ice cake in the pan according to the teachings of this invention.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

- What is claimed is as follows:

In a freezing tray, an elongated container pan having a fiat bottom and two opposed inwardly concave side walls, and a unitary removable grid, said grid comprising: a main longitudinal wall, a series of cross walls tiltable longitudinally of said main wall to loosen the ice blocks from said pan and grid, and a hand lever swingable longitudinally of said grid to tilt said cross walls,

said cross walls having rounded upper corners normally projecting materially above the pan side walls and adapted to tangentially engage said concave side walls when the grid is rocked laterally from its normal horizontal position within the pan, said cross walls having such vertical height and contour that the entire grid and ice contents may be rocked laterally to and fro from its normal horizontal position to a cooked position within the pan and during such rocking be continuously guided by the contour edges of said cross walls sliding along both the pan bottom and said concave side walls, said guiding of the grid and ice contents being continuously effective to such a large angular position of the grid that some of the loosened ice blocks may be removed laterally over the edge of a side wall while other fully loosened ice blocks will be properly guided back to normal position in the pan when the grid is restored to its normal horizontal position.

FREDERICK W. SAMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,269,642 Zerk Jan. 13, 1942 2,293,362 Sampson Aug. 18, 1942 2,337,451 Chilton Dec. 21, 1943 2,435,802 Smith Feb, 10, 1948 2,492,583 Knupp Dec. 27, 1949 

